An Unwelcome Face
by unavailable1995
Summary: After Katara's death her daughter, Kya, lives on in her own adventures. The actual story begins when Kya enrolls at Fire Nation Acadamy for Girls and learns her rank won't redeem her from her abnormal skin color and ancestry.
1. Living On

An Unwelcome Face

Chapter One: Living On

Everybody thought it was ironic that at the burial of Katara's body, and the official passing of her spirit, it was raining. How appropriate for her to be buried with her own element. Of course since she was a member of the Royal Family of the Firenation she was buried traditionally: surrounded by fire, much to Zuko's dismay. He knew Katara had a troubling past with fire and he wouldn't easily let them send her to the spirit world burning. Zuko demanded the rules be lifted- just this once. Only when Hakoda pulled him aside to explain that Katara knew what she was doing when she married him- and she had accepted it. Contradicting her choices would be disrespectful to her spirit, and memory.

He listened to the Monk recite her relations- reminding him much of the day when his grandfather was buried. Except this time they weren't at the top of a grand staircase in front of the Nation's Army. It was a private burial- only family, new and old friends, and those needed to preform a burial correctly.

To Zuko's right a girl reached right below his hips. She held tightly onto his fingers and refused to cry in front of him. She was a strong girl, and determined to prove it. She had all of Katara's features: dark skin, darker hair, cute nose, and blue eyes. Though her eyes were the shape of Zuko's ancestors', the color was all waterbender. It almost hurt too much to look at his own daughter because he feared seeing his passed wife instead.

They both wore traditional Firenation burial clothing, but had the Watertribe insignia printed on there topmost clothing article.

Before he knew it the burial had finished and people he couldn't match name to face came and payed there respects. The good old gang was there- grieving the passing of their closest friend. Hakoda was there too, but had more of a grip on himself then everyone else. He didn't look at lost or distant like Sokka or Aang did. But he had lost his wife before, he knew what it was liked.

Then Suki was in front of him speaking the language he spoke all his life but couldn't understand a word. From old knowledge he assumed she was saying something of a soul passing safely and peacefully. Somewhere between unimportant faces popped up Toph's: older and more mature, with signs of an experienced life. She struggled for some comforting words; but it not being her forte she resigned with a light, trembling grip on his upper arm. An unusual gesture coming from Toph, only few people ever got it.

Aang approached him hesitantly; despite his now tall and muscled frame he seemed awkward in front of Zuko. Of all the things Zuko expected Aang to say, what he did was not one of them, "Thank you," He said in his friend voice- which had became deeper as he got older. In the past Zuko usually only saw him as the Avatar, but today he was indeed just here as their best friend. "You gave K-Katara everything she needed, and wanted. She may have died young, but she died happy. And that's all any of us could ever want." The clasped in a friendly hug.

"Visit more often Aang," Zuko replied. "Kya likes it when you're around."

"Any time," He replied. Aang then moved on to say goodbye to Kya, who was now sobbing into Suki's robes- looking for a motherly figure to go to.

"Zuko," Sokka approached him, now free from all the other grievers' respects. "Thanks for caring for my sister- she loved you, a lot, and I wanted to say t-that I'm sorry."

"For what?" He inquired.

"For never trusting you. I was selfish, and I didn't want Katara under anyone's eye but mine, or my dad's. But you've been a great friend to me and I was still worried."

A few moments went by when neither of them said nothing. Finally Zuko spoke posing fake humor through his teeth, trying to pass as, "You sure got better at you speaking skills. You didn't mention anything about meat or any other food."

In return Zuko received a grin and another friendly hug.

Sokka continued on to his momentarily recovered niece.

Zuko turned to walk away but a wide shouldered figure stopped him. "Zuko," Hakoda greeted fatherly.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to go on," He confided immediately. His voice cracked as he continued. "She was always there when anything happened- even when nothing happened!"

Hakoda put a reassuring hand on Zuko's shoulder, "You still have Kya. You'll go on with her."

"But how do I move on!?" He demanded. "I can't depend on my daughter for some things. How did you do it? How did you move on when your wife died?"

Hakoda took a moment to think, obviously remembering his wife and daughter at the same time. "I didn't," He admitted.

"What?"

"I never moved on, and I pray to the spirits every night that I won't. I still love her as a wife, and I still love Katara as a daughter. Instead of moving on, I lived on. Living on and moving on are different things, and in the ten years I've known you personally, I can say you're perfectly capable of living on."

The time came that Zuko had to say goodbye to his last respect payer. He reached his hand out to clasp near Hakoda's elbow, as they always did in a sign of neutral respect, but he was cut of by Hakoda's hand in his- a normal handshake, between father-in-law and son-in-law.

When Hakoda left Zuko notice a piece of jewelry left in his hand- Katara's necklace. The blue shell with the wedding engravings held like lead in his hand. It hurt to look at it, because it's hard to look at Katara's mother's necklace without imagining her face with it.

"Daddy, I want to say goodbye to Mommy, one last time," A familiar voice broke through Zuko trance. Kya led him to Katara's grave. The rain began to pour and it seemed like hours as they stood there staring at her gravestone.

"Daddy," She repeated, sliding her hand into his, "Let's go home."

Out of no where it seemed to catch up to him that Katara was never going to be there to ask him how his day was. What was wrong when he was worried. Be there when he needed comforting lips to kiss. Be around to inquire about. Make funny faces with his daughter as they mocked him across the room while he pretended not to notice. Or comfort Kya in the motherly way she did.

She was not going to be there ever again to make them laugh or be happy the way only she could make them.

Zuko fell to his knees sobbing onto Kya. He hugged her tightly so she couldn't disappear; His forehead rested on one of her shoulders. He could feel her trembling but subconsciously knew she refused to cry. "You're all I have left," He managed through the pour rain.

"Don't worry about Mommy, Avatar Roku will take care of her."

~*~

Two Weeks Later

Mai resided in the courtyard with Kya, teaching her which rocks would skip in the small pond. Everyone was trying to fit as much time in with Kya so she wouldn't feel lonely. Though Mai wasn't spending any more time with her than she usually did.

After it became clear that her feelings for Zuko, and his for her, were no more then a child's crush, they reshaped their relationship into one more of a family bond. With this came Mai's role in Kya's life. When ever she was in the palace away from Governess jobs she played the rule breaking aunt. If Katara wasn't around she'd teach Kya how to throw random objects so that they could hit a desired target. Or when Zuko wasn't in ear shot, embarrassing stories of his childhood were revealed. It was always a game for the two: whether stealing cookies from the kitchen, or siting across from each other during an important dinner.

Now was no different. Mai would not give her any special treatment to use as a crutch to heal on. She would treat Kya the same to show she wasn't trying to be molded into a cushion for her support.

"Will this one work?" Kya asked bringing up a small, jagged rock for Mai to inspect.

"No, there's no flat bottom see," Mai responded pointing at the many leveled bottom. "Try to find one with a completely flat bottom.

After failing the classification of many non-flat-bottomed rocks Kya gave up and slumped down next to Mai by the pond. She found her head slumped against her Aunt's shoulder with boredom.

"How's your dad doing?" Mai asked for a bit of conversation.

The child shrugged and followed with a melancholic voice, "I dunno. I haven't seen him for a few days...."

"What? You must have seen him at meals at least!"

A shake was the response this time, "He eats in his office... alone."

"How long has he been in his office?"

Another shrug and a yawn, "Five or six days...."

Mai sprung up with frustration, "THAT MAN! Doesn't even take a meal out of his grieving to spend with his daughter!" Grumbling furiously, she stomped off toward the Fire Lord's office, leaving Kya slumping, to stare at the rippling pond.

~*~

"Governess, you can't enter. The Fire Lord requests no visitors," The Guards dutifully recited, though shivering inside of the things they've heard of the Governess Mai. Their spears were crossed in front of the door that they stood either side of. Both looked exhausted and routine stricken. They must be the daytime guards.

"You damn well let me in that room to speak to that spirit-forsaken man or so help me, I will make sure there is no easy way for either of you to detach yourselves from the throne room ceiling without an obscure amount of blood loss!" She bellowed at the men.

"W-we're sorry, it's the Fire Lord's-"

Mai's now revealing knife silenced him as he opened the door with difficulty and announced her arrival, "Govern-"

"I SAID NO VISITORS!" Zuko's long unheard anry voiced rushed out of the office. "Oh... Mai...."

"-ess Mai"

There was an awkward silence as three of the four people were unsure of how to proceed. Mai starred Zuko down the way she did an enemy- cold and unfriendly.

"Come in, please," Zuko's automatic Fire Lord manners took over.

An unpleasant smile curled on her lips as she entered nobly into his dark and stuffy office. It smelt of sweat, dust, and lack of sunlight.

"Dismissed," Zuko nodded to the guards. Hesitantly they obeyed and closed the doors with uneasy hands. When the door close Mai attacked.

A crisp, well deserved slap met Zuko's unrested face, "What is your problem?!" She demanded first. "You've been in here for seven days straight, you haven't slept, neglected your country and you haven't even seen your daughter in this time! Do you know what she must be going through!?"

Just recovered from the slap, Zuko makes a comeback, "I am the Fire Lord! I have to work. I'm not neglecting my country; just ending to it in a different manner!"

"Don't you sneak around a lie with me! You've locked yourself In here to ignore your child. You can't stand to look at her because every time you do you see Katara. That's right I said her name: KATARA, KATARA, KATARA, KATARA, FIRE LADY KATARA FROM THE SOUTHERN WATERTRIBE! KATARA, KATARA, KATARA, DECEASED WIFE OF THE FIRE LORD. KATARA DAMMIT!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Zuko roared with intentions to slap her back, but couldn't bring himself to do it. "First you intrude on my work, then you assault me, and dare to accuse me of avoiding my daughter!"

"How dare I!?" She fired back. "Your daughter, your _daugh-ter_! You haven't seen her in a week. No one's seen you except the messenger and your menservants! You're killing yourself over sleepless nights and hours of work that aren't even useful," Zuko's reddening face slipped a douse of confusion. "Yes, Zuko, everyone's been talking about how your work's failing in quality and accuracy. They say it's because you were so weak, you had to depend on Katara for your strength! It's almost true; You're so weak minded that you work is slipping and you're not thinking about anyone but yourself. Kya misses you- you of all people should know what it's like to not have a dad around. But I'll tell you something: Kya now knows what it's like to not have a good dad around!"

Their eyes lock with tension as Zuko's face swiftly lessens in color back to his usual pale state. For once in two weeks his head is empty. Mai's hurtful, true, and loud words pushed all thoughts out of his head. Slowly the only thing he was thinking about was his daughter who he could pick out little details that were all her own and not Katara's. He _had_ been selfish to only see his wife's face in his daughter's.

He crumpled into Mai's arms. She fumbled to hold him up in this common sign of friendship known as a hug. "Thank you," He muttered into her ear, then took off out the door- feeling the fresh air hit him like a cold wave.

Mai straightened her clothes and regained her balance to walk out of the room.

"Governess?" The guard who hadn't spoken before asked with a bow.

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

~*~

Both father and daughter sat by the turtleduck pond laughing and hearing each other's stories. Kya told him about her excellence in object throwing, while in return Zuko recited some memories he had with his mother that he treasured- hoping she could have some too with him.

"Daddy?" She said after a cute moment of quiet thought. She place her palm on his and compared sizes, "I love you."

"I love _you_."


	2. The Third Weilder

An Unwelcome Face

Chapter Two: The Third Wielder

_3 Years Later_

The Palace was as calm as it was any day that the Fire Lord had a meeting to attend to. It was as calm as it was when all the palace inhabitants were occupied or bored. And it was as calm as it was when all of the servants were about their business, glad that their week break was approaching. But it wasn't as calm as it usually was when Princess Kya set her room on fire, with her sneeze.

Instead of being terrified, as a child of near eight should be when seeing their room burst into flames, excitement filled her body, from head to two. Uncontrollable energy surged her as she raced down the many twists and turns of the palace, which was no longer large enough to exhaust her by running from her chambers to the thrown room.

Perhaps if Kya had know that in her father's past he got himself banished when entering a thrown room, or that her grandfather was the one that had banished his child for interrupting a meeting, or that it was extremely _stupid_ to barge in on a room full of governors discussing droughts and the sort, maybe she wouldn't have burst in, excited as she was.

But she did.

If Zuko had turned out like his father in any heartless way, his first reaction would to glare at his daughter and hope to silence her cheers and send her away- later to punish her in some other unthinkable manner. But this is Zuko. Fire Lord Zuko. Who suffered the hardship of banishment from his own father, and learned from the loving ways of his mother and uncle. So instead of scarring and disowning his daughter, he was a little more proud than any father could be when his child burst in yelling of such news.

"Daddy! Daddy!" She echoed throughout the thrown room zipping down the empty space and through the other occupants of the room. Their bewildered faces went unnoticed by Kya.

Zuko emerged immediately from the wall of flames, required for such an audience with the Fire Lord. "What?!" He gasped, mistaking her enthusiasm for fear. "Has something happened?"

"Yes!" She stopped suddenly, bending over to catch her breath. "I'm-" gasp, "-I'm-" gasp, "A FIRE BENDER!"

The silence was deafening as all the governors and the Fire Lord stared at the shaking child. The word "firebender" echoed soundlessly.

"A firebender!" Zuko exclaimed suddenly, after comprehension. He grasped her up in the air and spun her around showing his pride in his daughter openly. "My baby's a firebender!"

"Is this an orthodox reaction to show towards one's child during a meeting?" A governor with slick side burns asked Governess Mai quietly.

In her notorious monotone voice she answered, "It is now."

"Your mother would be so happy," He assured, landing Kya softly on the ground. "You go tell Grandfather the exciting news, okay? Tonight we'll celebrate, and if you want I can teach you a couple of my skills."

Kya's face lit up at the sound of learning from her own father, "Pinky swear?" She asked holding hers up.

Zuko's face turned red enough to match his scar. Much to the onlookers' amusement he answered, "Pinky swear." He leaned closer and whispered, "I have to get back to work now, you know how impatient Governors are."

She giggled into her hands then turned to skip out of the thrown room, waving to Aunt Mai on her was out.

The moment the doors slammed shut all faces turned towards the Fire Lord.

"Shall we continue?"

~*~

When Kya heard her father say that he'd teach her a fire bending form she was exhilarated. Being able to firebend like the Fire Lord? That was like asking for glory valid in all nations!

But when it came to actually needing to learn breathing, steps, concentration, she quickly became bored and frustrated. "Why do I have to breath through my nose and out my mouth?" She complained. "It takes to long."

"When Grandfather was teaching me how to fire bend responsibly he told me I needed to breathe and practice control. I didn't listen and was out of control burning down villages..... and things," He admitted with unease with the finishing sentence.

Kya perked up at the sound of burning villages. "You burned down a village?! Aunty didn't tell me _that_ story."

"Hm? Aunt Suki?"

"No, Aunt Mai."

A silence followed as Zuko untangled this information. Mai grew up with him most of his life-she knew all his embarrassing stories. Let alone what happened after the war, what else had she told Kya? He brushed the thoughts aside when he saw Kya's eyes peering at him, young and shiny.

"How about this," He plucked a leaf off the nearby tree. "If you can keep his leaf from burning up in fifteen minutes, I'll teach you how to make the real fire- intentionally. I assure you it's now the most popular way to begin fire bending. The Avatar began his training like this himself!"

Zuko left Kya in the courtyard alone, dismayed and with a leaf in her hand.

One of Kya's nursery maids stood by the doorway bowing, "You Highness, do you think it's wise to do that? What happens if the leaf starts on fire?"

"I can whole heartedly assure you it's one of the most unwise things I've done during my reign as Fire Lord; And I'm positive the leaf will start on fire. When it does- I think it'll be time for her to meet her aunt."

The maid paled at the thought of her "aunt". Unnoticed by the Fire Lord, who continued down the hallway, she leaned against the wall wondering what possessed her to be a nursery maid.

~*~

Because Zuko was usually right when predicting his child, Kya had yet again ran across the Palace seeking her father to show the weak flame in her hand.

After questions and explanations they were off to the Asylum.

"I would like to speak to my sister," He told the manager. All visitors had to go through him- to reduce unwanted conflict.

When the manager looked up to see his Fire Lord he stood abruptly and bowed. He had a large stomach and a thick facial structure. "Yes, my Lord, right away."

As he turned to leave he glimpsed at Kya. "I would advise to go in alone first, then bring the child in."

"I see your point, I'll go in first."

"Daddy, don't leave me out here alone..." Kya mumbled softly hoping only he would hear.

"Don't worry, you have the whole Royal Guard squad's attention," He said eying the group of men required to following him around outside the palace walls.

"Right this way, my Lord."

Zuko followed the man down a labyrinth of halls and security. They nodded to many post guards and other doctors. Zuko found it amusing how whenever they passed someone the all pulled back their sleeves to show a curious mark, tattooed on their wrist.

"For identification matters, my Lord; I assure you that after the Boiling Rock incident many years ago, our security precautions were pushed up many steps."

Zuko's face turned red at the memory of that day. It had been him and his friend Sokka who had outsmarted the system and broken the record of no breakouts.

Finally they came to a vault door the size of any other with bars before it. Beside the door were two guards who looked like they'd been there for too long. They bowed when they saw their company and with a silent nod from the manager they pulled a lever, high on the wall- causing the bars to slide away. Together they twisted the handle after spinning some locks. The door pushed open and a gust of air too fresh to be expected under such tight security blew on them.

"Have Princess Kya be brought down," Zuko said as he walked in. After coming to this door once every week to visit his sister he trusted that she was ready to, again, meet her niece.

Zuko stepped in to a reasonably lighten room. It was large and had the requirements of a sitting room. Three doors branched off the room. One he learned was the washroom, one the bedroom, and the other led to the green house where all occupants were free to roam under supervision.

"Zuzu!" A familiar voice echoed from the bedroom. The door swung open and out stepped Azula. She had aged too much for her young crisp age. Her face was wrinkly around to eyes and she was very pale. By requirement her hair was cut short, right below her ears. The length didn't suit her but it had it's charms some times.

"Azula," He greeted with open arms. They clasped into a hug that took too long to get right. It seemed normal now, after all these years. "How are you this week?"

"I'm fine," She admitted. "It was a long week though. I got to see dad."

Zuko didn't say anything. He had signed the papers a year ago to allow Azula to see him once a month. He himself hadn't seen him since his mom had gone to visit him for the first time, nine years ago. She had made a habit of going twice a week to see her family. Ursa's time had come though. She passed two years before Katara. They had never gathered as a family, all four of them, ever. And it was because Zuko couldn't stand to be there- with his estranged family.

"That's great, how is he?"

"Same as ever. He never stops talking about _his_ redemption. He kinda sounds like you sometimes...." She said with an unhappy sigh. Throughout her therapy she noticed her uncommon devotion to her father, and that it was killing her, doing his every bidding. She had been more like a faithful servant than a daughter.

"I-I want you to meet someone," He said now getting that burning pit in his stomach when he discovered too late that he didn't want to do what he was about to do. "I think it's time you met Kya."

Another silence followed. They seemed to be common today.

"Why should I meet you daughter?" She asked, bitter rising in her voice. "You never trusted me to meet her before!"

"Azula, you tried to kill me for the thrown. It's fatherly instinct to want to protect his kid from someone who tried to kill him."

"I was crazy then!" She yelled. "I didn't know what I was doing. Dad controlled everything!"

"Stop blaming him Azula!" He responded just as loud. "I stopped blaming him a long time ago, it's your turn!"

Azula looked down with wide eyes. "But why should I meet her? What good will it do her to meet her crazy aunt?"

"She's a firebender," He said quietly. Azula looked up. "I don't want her to turn out like Me, or You, or Dad."

"There's nothing wrong with us Zuko! We had an unbelievable gift to be the best."

"And I don't want her to grow up thinking that she's better than anyone else because she's a firebender!" Zuko burst. "That's how it was for our whole family, and we started a war! If she sees you and understands that this is how you ended up, then maybe she'll learn with patience and control."

"I did have control! And I had plenty of patience," She retaliated. Zuko didn't say anything, but instead left her words echoing in her mind. After a minute she seemed to have listened to herself to take silence much more. "Fine! I was out of control."

"Okay, I'll bring her in now."

"Is she going to school?" Azula asked as he went to the vault door. "I went to Fire Nation Academy for girls, it- it was a good school...."

Zuko stopped and turned, "I hadn't thought about school.... How long does the curriculum last for?"

"Usually girls go when they're six or seven, and leave when they're sixteen. But lots of girls transfered in and out throughout those years."

"Such as yourself?" Zuko inquired

"Yes, at fourteen I was taken out by Dad to hunt _you_ down," Her bitter tone spat. "Because he was too lazy to do it himself."

"Back to the subject," He quickly said before this one got out of hand. "How long do they stay at school at a time?"

"Hm," She thought. "I think it's a month. Then they go home for half a week."

_My baby gone for more than a week!?_ Zuko broke down internally. He coughed to clear his throat and said, "If it's best for her, and she wants to go, she may."

Finally he got to the door, and knocked. After clicks and screeches the vault door swung open revealing the Royal Guard, Kya, and the two stationary guards. Kya peered into the room to inspect, "Is this was all jails look like?" She asked the stationary guards. "I thought you were suppose to punish people here."

All the guards stifled their amused laughs as they sent her in. Kya stepped into the room and spotted her dad. She walked to stand by him.

"Kya, this is your aunt, Azula," He introduced. "Azula.... This is Kya."

"My, my, you look like your mother don't you?" She asked inspecting her. "Same skin, same hair, blue eyes- ah, but they're the same shape as ours aren't they?"

Kya managed a nodded under Azula's inspection. "I'm not a waterbender though, I'm a firebender," She added proudly.

"Why yes, I've heard!" Azula said. "I'm a firebender too you know."

Kya nodded again.

"But I wasn't a good firebender- I was a great firebender, I was the best of the best," She gloated.

Zuko rubbed his eyes while holding back a groan.

"If you were so great why are you in jail?" Kya asked innocently.

To Zuko's surprise Azula laughed aloud, "Why because I had no self control. You know I tried to kill your father with fire bending?"

The child to a half step back. She wasn't really liking her aunt much.

"I would have gotten away with it too, but your mother saved him with her water bending. Let me see your hands, Child."

Reluctantly Kya offered Azula her hands. Azula took them and traced the many lines and squeezed her finger tips. Kya did her best not to laugh, but she had a weakness: she was ticklish. "Well, look here, you haven't been a firebender for more than a week have you?"

"No, I set my chambers on fire when I sneezed, two days ago."

"Yes, you have no experience at all, but look at this line," Azula pointed randomly. "That line shows that you indeed have water tribe blood in you. It's very hard to be a waterbender and have no control." Her tone changed, "Do you want to make your mother, and her family happy?"

"Yes, of course," Kya said hesitantly.

"Then you learn to fire bend like a water bender, you hear me? You firebender with control."

Frantically she nodded, "I promise!" She leaned in to Azula's ear a whispered, "How do I learn firebending though? Dad's such a bad teacher...."

Again Azula laughed, "Why you'll have the Avatar to teach you; he still visits I assume."

"Yes, every four months."

"And you'll have you Granduncle too-"

"I have a Granduncle?"

Zuko stepped in. "She means Grandfather Iroh, Kya."

Azula looked up at him with disgust on her face, but wiped it away quickly to look back at Kya, "Yes, your grandfather. And of course school."

"School?"

"Yes, darling, haven't you been to school before?"

"No, I've been home schooled," Kya informed.

"I see, wouldn't you like to go to school, make friends, learn fire bending?" Azula cooed.

"Oh, yes! It sounds like fun! Daddy," She turned to face him, "May I go to school?"

"What a wonderful idea. How about Fire Nation Academy for Girls?" He suggested a little too conspicuously.

And so the day continued at the Asylum. They stayed for another hour, half of which Zuko trusted his instincts, and left Kya to be with Azula alone. He roamed the halls for many minutes until he found himself somewhere he didn't want to be. The cell he stood in front of belong to no other than his father. Plagued by his own judgmental questions he lost track of the time and returned to Azula. _Not today,_ he thought.

"Hello?" Zuko asked as he entered her cell again. "Azula? Kya?"

"My Lord," A guard bowed. "They're in the greenhouse."

Zuko returned the bow and stepped out side into the warm arm. Kya and Azula were on the grass, laying on their stomachs talking. Zuko felt a trickle of heat burn in his heart. It had been so many years since he last saw Azula in such a carefree stance. She was practically a child again with Kya. He couldn't help but smile, "Kya, it's time to go."

They both looked up at him with pouting faces, but still rolled up to a sitting position. Kya yawned and stood. Azula followed.

After they said their good byes and Kya stepped back through the vault door, Zuko turned to Azula, "Thank you." And they hugged.

"You tell my niece to watch her back at that school."

"Good bye."

"Bye, Zuzu."

~*~

The day of orientation arrived for the Fire Nation Academy for Girls. Zuko had his Fire Lord clothes on, and Kya was dressed in her required uniform. Her things were packed and the only thing they had left to do was stop by Katara to say good bye.

They brought Sea Salt Incense to her grave, because it was her favorite. After it was lit, they both knelt and prayed.

"Mommy, please give me courage at my new school. And watch over Daddy while I'm away. I'm not sure if you know yet, but Uncle Sokka, and Aunt Suki had another baby. I know I've asked for a lot, but maybe you could protect him as well." She finished with a prayer for the dead.

Zuko didn't pray aloud instead he spoke through his mind:

"Katara, guide our child as she begins her own adventure." Though his was simple, he thought it was enough. After his personal prayer he said aloud his prayer for the dead.

Kya slipped her hand in Zuko's as they walked back to their transportation. "Dad?" She asked. "How should I act at school?"

"Well," Zuko thought. He was never good at advice.

"Should I be a Fire Princess, or another student?"

He stopped to look at her. "Be yourself." Then slipped his hands around her neck to secure something.

"Mommy's necklace!" Kya exclaimed. "You've had this all these years?!"

"Yes, chief Hakoda gave it to me the day your mom was buried," He explained. "It was her mother's. And it meant to world to her. It was given to your mom when her mother died, and now I'm giving it to you."

Kya smiled as she fingered her new jewelry, "I'll never take it off."


End file.
